Pulse of The People: The power belongs in the hands of the people

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I am a law-abiding citizen and responsible gun owner.

I was saddened by the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut, but I believe that efforts to impose new restrictions on me and other lawful and responsible owners like me are misguided. Did you know that violent crime with firearms has declined since the federal "assault weapons ban" expired in 2004?

Your conversation and focus should be on strengthening mental health care and improving the quality of data supporting NICs checks (National Instant Criminal Background Check System.) Do not pass more gun laws. Instead, work to enforce the more than 20,000 gun laws already on the books.

FBI statistics clearly state more people are killed with knives, bats and crowbars than gun homicides. Look it up. FBI: more people killed with hammers/clubs/fists than rifles.

I also do not agree with, as most Americans do not, with the United Nations, "Small Arms Treaty" that would completely circumvent the Second Amendment and the U.S. Constitution.

The president currently has a survey being conducted via West Point, where he asks, "Would you be able to follow your oath of office and follow the command structure and the orders giving you by someone rank above you up to and including the Commander in Chief if a scenario developed where a group of people would not submit and lay down their arms when ordered to, could you find yourself obeying the order to fire on American citizens?"

I am your reader and visitor to your site and I vote. I also have clicked some links on your site before, and that is revenue for you and I will no longer support you advertisers as well. I am sending them a statement like this as well. Please represent me.

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed."